home made long arm

99jeeptj

New Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2010
Location
thomasvile n.c.
ok guys here goes i am looking at building a custom long arm set up for my tj, this will be my first adventure into this long arm fab thing i know i am using hind joints and inserts and probally 1.25X.25 dom tubing but where can i get the mounts and how do i take the measurements on the tubing lengths for the upper's and lowers thanks
 
Do a bunch of research. There's a ton of info on here.

In a nutshell- 1.25" is much too small for your lowers. Go with 2" x.250" lowers. The 1.25" x .250" *may* work for your uppers, but most will recommend 1.50" x .250".

You doing a true 4 link, a 3 link, or a radius arm setup? Don't make this your first big fab job. A lot can go wrong if not performed correctly.

When you're ready for tabs, heims, bushings, etc, contact Brad at www.barnes4wd.com

Get a bag of chips, a big drink and start researching.

Oh yeah, Rough Country has a long arm upgrade kit out there for pretty cheap that's been getting good reviews.
 
1.25 tubing is not heavy enough. You need a bare minimum of 1.5" x .25". You can get your mounts and joints from places like Carolina Truggies, Ballistic or I think Dave at Olivers in Winston carries them. You need to do your research well. Making the long arms is the simple part, It is all the fab work for the mounts and creating the proper angles that the hard part comes in. You also need to have good welding skills. Are you planning to do a radius arm setup, or 4 link?
Here is a radius arm setup I built for a TJ. 1.5"x.25" DOM using Ballistic mounts and joints.
ai239.photobucket.com_albums_ff33_sqrlmoney_Fab_20work_IMG00012_20090824_2020.jpg

If you are using heim joints, then spend the extra money and get good ones with Teflon/Kevlar lining. They are stronger and will hold up longer.
ai239.photobucket.com_albums_ff33_sqrlmoney_Fab_20work_DSCN0347.jpg

If this is going to be a DD, then you may want to consider putting bushings on one end instead of heims to help keep road vibrations down.
ai239.photobucket.com_albums_ff33_sqrlmoney_Fab_20work_DSCN0289.jpg


Hope this stuff helps. Don't mean to seem like I am explaining this like you are 5 yrs old, just don't know what your experience/knowledge is.
 
like these guys said you cant go wrong with beefy... just remember these upper/lowers are what hold you axle under your jeep and not slidding down the road
 
ok so i was being dumb when i said 1.25 wall lolmajor duh momment sorry guys,ok, yes i pla n on driving it some not a full dailly driver but it does see road time, and can someone explain the major difference in a radius arm and a 4 link set up , i am not really sure i am sorta new at this suspension stuff, so all the help i can get will be greatly appreciated, thanks guys
 
99jeeptj said:
ok so i was being dumb when i said 1.25 wall lolmajor duh momment sorry guys,ok, yes i pla n on driving it some not a full dailly driver but it does see road time, and can someone explain the major difference in a radius arm and a 4 link set up , i am not really sure i am sorta new at this suspension stuff, so all the help i can get will be greatly appreciated, thanks guys
Click to expand...

Really you just need to do a search either on here or oon Pirate4x4.com on the advantages and disadvantages of each. There's just way too much info for a single thread on link suspension designs.
 
4 link is 4 bars locating the rear axle using triagulation. Your TJ currently has a 4 link with a trac bar, or otherwise referred to as 5-link. The trac bar is what locates the axle left to right were on a true 4 link, the bars run in or out at opposing angles to laterally locate the rear axle.

Radius arm is using two bars to hold the axle in place with a trac bar to stabilize the axle left to right.

Like said earlier, do losts of research. This is not a project for a beginner. You need good welding skills, experience and knowledge, then alot of money and patience.
 
ive alwayed liked the setup that Clayton's offroad builds. ive looked at there kit for several years now, and know there the best on the market.

i believe the syle arm he makes for his ZJ and XJ etc kits are called 4-link Radius.

Personally i cant afford the kit nor arms but i plan on fabbing mine to match the way he makes his.
 
like i said i just wasnt sure about the radius arm deal i understand four link and i am not a first timer to the underside of my rig this is just thefirst time i have went as far as completly redoing my suspension, and as far as welding skills i can weld a tissue and a square of toilet paper togther with a pencil and never burn either one lol
 
No one is gonna tell you to cut your lowers to 36", cut your uppers to 31.5", separate at the axle 8", at the frame 6", triangulate 30*, 45* there,mount this tab here, that tab there, etc.

You're just gonna have to research, research, research. Decide what's best for your rig with your skills and your terrain.

Not flaming ya at all, but when you decide what you're gonna do, then we can collectively help ya out and guide ya as needed.
 
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